'Devil horns' eclipse over Middle East causing social media stir

A photo of a solar eclipse rising over the Persian Gulf is causing quite the stir on social media.

Given the latest turmoil in the Middle East, many are taking the image as a pair of devil horns rising over the region, with some even making biblical references.

Others see a little less sinister image: A hot-pink bikini top is one popular alternative.

The original photo was taken on Dec. 26 by an astronomy buff on vacation in Qatar during a partial eclipse.

Astronomer Elias Chasiotis took this photo of a solar eclipse over Qatar on Dec. 26, 2019. Some say the image resembles devil's horns or a bikini top.

Elias Chasiotis/via NASA

The image shows the sun rising over the ocean mostly blocked out by the moon, so that it almost resembles two curved triangles - or, well, horns or a bikini top.

A mirage effect from the water further distorts the image at the bottom.

Astronomer Elias Chasiotis took the image, but it didn't go viral until NASA posted it a few days later as the Astronomy Picture of the Day - and then it really picked up traction after this week's Iranian missile attacks on U.S. air bases in Iraq.